Unrepressed
by turbomagnus
Summary: 'Pariah' AU, Alicia survived, Tim's in jail and now it's time for Clark to deal with the other side of the situation. C-Ali pairing.
1. Unrepressed

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 2 April.

'Pariah' AU, Alicia survived, Tim's in jail and now it's time for Clark to deal with the other side of the situation.

Disclaimer: "Smallville" is the property of Warner Brothers Entertainment and DC Comics and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. "Coward of The County" is performed - and in the case of the movie based on the song, also happens to be starring - Kenny Rogers.

* * *

-o0O0o-

"Unrepressed"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

"They said I was carrying around a lot of repressed anger."

"And now?"

"I'm not repressed anymore." - Ranger Marcus Cole and Lennier, after Lennier walks into a bar where Marcus is now the only person in the room still standing, "Babylon 5", 'Ceremonies of Light and Dark'.

* * *

-o0o-

For the first sixteen years of his life, if almost anyone was asked to describe Jonathan and Martha Kent's son Clark, they'd likely use terms like 'good kid', 'nice boy', or 'a fine young man'. If someone asked about Clark and girls, some people would say they expected him to pull his head out any day now and see his old friend Chloe Sullivan for what she wanted to be; others would expect Lana Lang to do the head-pulling out to see that Clark was always there for her.

Nobody ever expected that the girl whom this 'fine young man' would fall in love with would be one of Smallville's infamous 'meteor freaks'. They didn't know it at first, but after Alicia Baker was caught trying to kill Lana and sent to Belle Reve, everyone in Smallville seemed to reach the conclusion that she must have done something to control Clark to get him in a relationship with her; the idea that a 'good kid' like Clark Kent could love a 'meteor freak' was so foreign to them. None of them knew that Clark wasn't a 'nice boy' from Smallville, Kansas; he was an interstellar traveler from the planet Krypton who just happened to be raised by a Kansas farm couple, and he had more in common with the so-called 'meteor freaks' than he did with the rest of the town - including, especially including, Alicia Baker. When he was in her arms, he didn't have anything to prove, he was special and normal both at once, that kind of combination that only comes from being with the one you love.

That was why a year later, when she was released from Belle Reve, Clark welcomed her back to Smallville with open arms, even though his friends, family and the rest of the town didn't trust her, didn't believe she was no longer psychotic, and certainly didn't like the idea of a 'meteor freak' living among them as though everything were perfectly normal. 'Normal people', after all, couldn't teleport themselves around like she could. Of course, 'normal people' couldn't run faster than the speed of sound, survive being hit by a speeding car and knocked into a river or see through walls, either, all of which Clark could do and Alicia knew, even if the same people who hated her for her own power didn't.

When Lana was attacked, everyone just decided that it had to be Alicia because it had been her before, after all, she was a 'meteor freak' and there was no 'fixing' them. The situation had only gotten worse after Lana's new boyfriend, Jason Teague was attacked as well. When he wanted her to turn herself in, for her own protection if nothing else, Alicia had begged Clark, pleaded with him. She had told him that if he'd reveal how he'd been protecting them for years, show them the things that he could do, they'd have to accept them, not just her and Clark, but others like them with powers of their own.

It was morbid irony that someone else with powers was the one framing Alicia, the one who tried to kill her when she discovered him trying to steal her scarf to leave as 'evidence' proving she was the person attacking Lana and those close to her. If Clark had been even a minute later when he had gone to apologise to her for the way he had reacted when she wanted him to reveal his powers, they would have been successful and Alicia would have been dead, 'suicide'. As it was, Alicia was still in the hospital recovering from the oxygen deprivation she had suffered before Clark had arrived. With visiting hours over and no desire to return to the Kent Farm and listen to another lecture from his adoptive parents on the sanctity of marriage, finding the right girl and how important it was to keep his powers a secret, Clark turned the other way and started walking deeper into Smallville, lost in his thoughts. He hadn't gotten far when the voices of two people walking on the other side of the road reached his ears because of his powers, disturbing his thoughts.

"Can you believe the hospital is actually treating that freak? You'd think they'd have a no-freaks policy or something."

"I know what you mean, it's so disgusting. I can't stand being this close to anywhere like that. I'm heading to The Talon, there's a celebration going on."

"Oh, yeah? What's the excuse?"

"I think Lana's throwing the party because the freak girl's in the hospital and can't get near her now."

"Good as any and better than most. Too bad they're not throwing her back in the looney bin. That's something that would be worth celebrating."

Standing there in disbelief and anger, Clark could literally hear his blood pounding in his veins, his fists clenched and his teeth as well. Part of him wanted to cross the road and make the two people talking glad they were so close to the hospital; but another, larger part knew that he now had some place more important to be.

* * *

-o0o-

The atmosphere in The Talon was festive, the patrons actually celebrating the fact that Alicia was in the hospital, and with his hearing Clark had heard it literally from a mile away and it just made his blood run that much hotter. Inside the building, however, no one knew that, no one knew what was about to happen. One person, however, had a pretty strong suspicion that things were about to get... interesting.

Lex Luthor shook his head, he personally was having nothing to do with this, more interested in his drink than the back-slapping and self-promotion coming from the other side of The Talon. He and Clark were finally starting to get their friendship back on track and Lex had no intention of ruining that by having a party in honor of Clark's girlfriend ending up in the hospital. Despite some of the situations he'd been in since coming to Smallville, he had no problems with people with meteor powers. They had been altered by space rocks, he had Lionel Luthor for a father. Sometimes, he thought that the people with powers got the better deal.

Besides, Lex smirked knowingly to himself looking at his reflection in his drink, three years was enough to know that his friends and family were Clark's biggest trigger and that the younger man wasn't going to let this party go on very long once he learnt of it... and maybe if Lex was lucky, he'd have a front row seat for the show.

"Clark, what are you doing here?" a voice asked from behind Lex, causing him to look up and over his shoulder.

'Speak of the devil,' Lex thought.

"Why shouldn't I be here?" the cold, hard tone to Clark's voice was something unfamiliar to everyone listening, "It's a free country, isn't it? People can go to public places, see people romantically, things like that aren't against the law last time I check. I mean, why shouldn't I be here... unless there's something you don't want me here for?"

"Well," Jason Teague took his arm from around Lana's shoulders and walked over to where Clark was standing, "We are kind of having a party."

"I heard," Clark answered in that same cold, hard tone.

"What is your problem?" Jason demanded.

"It's not enough that you threatened Alicia," Clark retorted, "Now you're celebrating because someone tried to kill her? All of you?"

'Not me,' Lex mouthed knowing Clark could see it, 'I just wanted away from the mansion for a while.'

"Like you said," Jason shot back, "It's a free country."

Clark's blood finally reached the boiling point and he turned away from Teague and started walking back towards The Talon's front door.

"Yeah, Kent, go back to your freak girlfriend," someone taunted from behind him, "Maybe next time the freaks start fighting each other, you'll get the room next to her!"

The laughter that followed that statement was loud and boisterous, but it cut off sharply and if you were in the Talon that night, you could have heard a pin drop when Clark stopped and locked the door. Almost his entire life, ever since his powers had started showing, Clark had held back, following his parents' wishes for him to try and appear normal, to keep what he could do a secret in hopes it would protect him from people wanting to study him or control him. Unfortunately, it had also had the side-effect all his life of making him the target for anyone wanting to give someone a hard time, someone to pick on, put down or harass, just like with the scarecrow incident in freshman year. Everyone was watching as Clark walked back across the room to grab Jason by his shirt collar and when Clark threw the first punch, he had stopped holding back and Jason Teague suddenly found himself seated in a booth on the other side of The Talon, groggy from the impact with the wall before he had slid down into the seat.

"Clark!" Lana shouted in shock.

Instead of answering her, Clark looked around the room, "Free country, huh? What happened to 'All men are created equal', then? Or maybe 'I Have A Dream'? How about 'Liberty and Justice for All'?"

One of the people that had passed Clark on the street earlier managed to regain their nerve from seeing Jason sent flying and marched up to look Clark in the eyes, "Those don't count for freaks."

Lex winced since the smile that Clark wore after hearing that was the same one he had seen on Lionel's face every time the elder Luthor had humiliated a defeated business rival just to prove he could do it - his own son included. It turned out to be a good thing for him that he was watching since it meant that Lex could lift his drink just before the guy facing off against Clark found themself slammed into the table Lex was sitting at, smashing it to the floor.

"Not bad for a boy scout," Lex remarked casually, punctuating the statement with a sip of his drink.

Clark looked at him and managed a half-friendly smirk, "I'm no more a boy scout than you are."

"I see that. And you do it so well, too, " Lex touched his drink to his brow in a mock salute before adding, "Behind you."

Clark twisted and avoided the punch that was thrown at him, grabbing the guy that had tried it with his near hand as he drew back his other fist, the friendly smirk he had given Lex fading to a grim frown as he looked at the other person from earlier, the one who had wanted Alicia sent back to Belle Reve.

"Since you were never taught to treat a girl with respect, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you weren't taught not to interrupt other peoples' conversations, either," Clark remarked before he slugged the guy and let them drop to the floor.

When the sound of metal moving reached his ears, Clark looked at the door and saw Jason had managed to recover enough to reach the door and was now trying to unlock it. Before he could even raise the lock to slide it, Clark had reached him - helped by super-speed - and grabbed him by the shoulder to spin him around.

"You want out? Fine," Clark remarked as he grabbed Jason by the collar with one hand and the belt with the other to lift him up over his head. Then he took two steps away from the door and threw Jason head-first through the window and out of The Talon onto the sidewalk outside.

Turning Clark addressed the room at large, at least those still conscious to hear him, "Anybody else want out?"

"Clark..." Lana's voice was filled with horror, "You... you're a... a freak!"

"I _hate_ that word," Clark said coldly, "Yes, I have powers. And I've been using them to protect people every since freshman year, whether anyone else knew it or not. But now, I'm just wondering what the _hell _I've been doing."

If the fact that he had just left three people unconscious and The Talon a wreck wasn't enough to prove that something had changed for Clark, the sound of him swearing certainly was.

"A second chance, that's all you had to do," Clark announced, "Just give Alicia a chance to prove herself. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you couldn't do that, I mean, after all; this town judged Lex based on his name before anyone knew him."

Clark nodded towards Lex and recieved a nod in return from the man who could now guess easily what the secret was that Clark had been hiding ever since they had known one another.

"This was just a warning," Clark added, "From now on, keep your opinions about people with powers to yourselves. You never know who might be listening and what their own opinion might be."

Turning, Clark walked over to the door, calmly unlocking it and opening it before looking back over his shoulder, "And just to help everyone remember..."

Just as calmly as he had unlocked the door, Clark drew back his fist and punched a hole in the concrete wall next to the door. Pulling his hand out of the hole, he shook the concrete dust off of it and walked out. He even remembered to shut the door behind him without slamming it.


	2. Unrepressed II

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 18 May.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Smallville" is the property of Warner Brothers Entertainment and DC Comics and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. "Coward of The County" is performed - and in the case of the movie based on the song, also happens to be starring - Kenny Rogers.

* * *

-o0O0o-

"Unrepressed"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

"The Gatlin Boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom;  
One of them got up and met him halfway across the floor.  
When Tommy turned around, they said,  
'Hey, look, Old Yellow's leaving!'  
But you could've heard a pin drop...  
When Tommy stopped and locked the door." - "Coward of the County", Kenny Rogers.

* * *

-o0o-

Rumors travel faster than any person with super-speed, even in a place like Smallville, especially if they involve Clark Kent in a fight against Lana Lang's boyfriend, Clark taking a stand against Lana herself, and Clark turning out to have powers that he used to beat his opponents and put a hole in the Talon's wall on his way out. Alicia Baker could only imagine the rumors that would fly if and when word got out that Clark's actions had caused a falling-out with his parents that ended with him moving into the Luthor mansion planning to stay there until the end of the school year.

Alicia was also glad that even if she was out of the hospital, she still had a couple weeks before she had to be back at Smallville High; glad because all it would take would be one person to say the wrong thing to her or about her and Clark would end up turning the school into a war-zone - not that it couldn't happen without her there, Alicia knew, but at least it would reduce the odds of it happening; and glad because it gave her an opportunity to speak with Clark's best friend and present housemate to try and get past the rumors to the truth of that night. Clark's claim that "Sometimes you've got to fight when you a man, secrets or not" just wasn't enough to alleviate her concern.

"Lex, tell me the truth," Alicia looked at him as she sat down opposite him in a wingback chair, "Did Clark really fight a half-dozen people because of me?"

Lex shrugged before managing a grin in that 'devil-may-care' way of his, "It was only three people, and he had them outnumbered by about six to one."

Alicia blinked, that didn't sound like any of the stories she had heard from anyone else, "How do you come up with those numbers?"

"Clark had about eighteen years of repressed emotions that he was uncorking the bottle on," Lex explained, "There were three of them, so each one got about a third of that, so six years to each one of them."

"You sound like you enjoy the idea," Alicia frowned.

"Hey, Clark told me who wanted him to reveal himself, you know," Lex reminded her, "And yes, I do enjoy the idea of Clark being open about who he is. If I had known three years ago that all it took was to make him that mad, I'd have pissed him off the week we met and figured everything out long ago."

"You're not exactly the person to talk about openness and friendship, you realise."

"Of course I am," Lex countered, settling back in his own chair, "Clark needs all of that, otherwise he's going to end up like me."


	3. Unrepressed III

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 6 July.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Smallville" is the property of Warner Brothers Entertainment and DC Comics and is used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. "Coward of The County" is performed - and in the case of the movie based on the song, also happens to be starring - Kenny Rogers.

* * *

-o0O0o-

"Unrepressed"

By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

While miles away at the Luthor mansion, his best friend filled his love - he was no longer sure what else to call Alicia Baker, 'girlfriend' didn't begin to describe it, but she wasn't legally his wife yet and she couldn't be his fiance until he officially proposed - in on the truth behind what had become known as 'Coming Out Night', Clark Kent set in a classroom at Smallville High, privately amused by the fact that his classmates were doing their best to sit as far away from him as possible without actually sitting in each others' laps. It was like they thought that just because he had put three people down hard and put a hole in The Talon's wall that he'd snap and attack them all at the slightest provocation. It wasn't entirely an untrue conclusion, but their definition of 'the slightest provocation' seemed to include breathing or looking in his direction while Clark's own definition was more limited to physical or certain verbal attacks towards him, Alicia, or anyone else with powers from the Kryptonite meteors as long as they themselves didn't use their powers for criminal purposes.

It was what would change everything. It already had begun.

"Am I boring you, Mister Kent?"

Clark managed a slight smile at the teacher, "No, ma'am, not boring me at all... The answer is three to the second."

"Very good," the teacher nodded, not really caring what happened outside her classroom as long as the students paid attention and behaved inside her class, "Keep paying attention, then. This _will _be on your final exam, Mister Kent."

"Yes, ma'am," Clark answered with that same slight smile before muttering to himself, "Though I don't know if you can call me a Kent anymore..."

* * *

-o0o-

Smallville, Kansas  
'Coming Out Night'

The Talon remained silent as the door shut behind Clark, no one dared to move or speak, no one but one man.

Lex Luthor chuckled to himself as he downed the last of his drink and stood up to address the room, "As the saying goes, 'No more Mister Nice-Guy', it would seem. Well, I would certainly love to stay and watch you all try to convince yourselves that Clark's the evilest thing to touch Smallville since my father, but I have a friend who needs support and I think it's about time I paid them back for all the times they supported me. Have fun, folks."

Smirking, Lex walked to the door of the Talon and calmly sat his empty glass in the hole that Clark had left in the wall on the younger man's way out before opening the door and following him out into the night. Clark was there waiting, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the hood of Lex's car.

"I thought you might be coming," Clark commented.

"I thought I hit you that day," Lex countered as he walked over and leaned against the hood next to Clark, "I should charge you for a new car."

Clark snorted, "Check under your couch cushions, there should be enough there for one."

Lex chuckled and shook his head, "Got to admit, Clark, you definitely have a flair for the dramatic when you want."

"That's nothing," Clark managed a slight smirk, "The real show's going to be when I get back to the farm. What do you want to bet somebody's already calling the Kents about this?"

"I have a drinking problem, Clark," Lex reminded him, "Not a gambling one - I don't take suckers' bets. How bad is it going to be?"

"Well..." Clark thought for a minute, "Considering that I've completely disregarded everything they've said about keeping my powers a secret, I'm openly supporting Alicia despite all their efforts to get me to change my mind... I still have you for a friend... and the fact that I don't intend to change what I've started... You'll probably be able to hear the argument from the mansion, I guess."

"Probably not," Lex replied, continuing when Clark gave him a questioning look, "I wasn't planning on going back to the mansion yet. I was actually thinking of helping out a friend. Besides, it sounds like you'll probably need a place to stay after you're done with your parents."

"They're not my parents," Clark answered sharply, "They raised me, yeah, but the last few years... It's like with everyone else, they can't seem to accept that my powers are part of who I am. They can't pick and chose what parts they're parents to... You know?"

"Probably better than anyone else, Clark," Lex shook his head, "I have Lionel Luthor for a father, remember? He's got them beat on that angle. Come on, let's go get you kicked out of the Kents and then we can see about setting up a couple rooms at the mansion for you and your girl, huh?"


	4. Unrepressed IV

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 12 December. Today's story bends the rules as I reuse a couple lines from an earlier one-shot; they just fit too well not to, y'know?

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Clemens... "Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. BY ORDER OF THE AUTHOR."

Disclaimer: "Smallville" and all associated characters are the property of Warner Brothers and DC and are used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

* * *

-o0O0o-

"Unrepressed"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

-o0O0o-

* * *

Smallville, Kansas  
'Coming Out Night'

As he put his car in park, Lex Luthor looked over at the person in the passenger seat.

"Need me to come in with you, Clark?"

Clark gave Lex a knowing look as he replied, "Didn't get your fill of entertainment for tonight back at The Talon?"

Lex merely shrugged, "I find enjoyment in life where I can. So... can I come in?"

"No," came the simple answer as Clark opened the car door and slid out, looking around once he was standing on the ground.

"Had to ask," Lex settled himself into his seat better, "Don't take too long or I might start charging you taxi fare or something like that."

Leaning down to stick his head in the car, Clark joked back, "Keep the meter running."

* * *

-o0o-

Sometimes, knowing what's coming doesn't make facing it any easier. In fact, often it only causes a feeling of dread to take root and grow in even the bravest of hearts. After all, not all opponents are easy ones to face, sometimes the greatest enemy lie closest to home.

"What's going on, Clark?" Jonathan Kent demanded before his adopted son was fully in the door, "We just got a call from Lana screaming about you being a freak and you've gone mad. Tell me you didn't reveal your powers, Clark..."

"I wouldn't say I went mad," Clark answered casually, "I just... made it clear they should be more respectful towards the woman I love."

"Clark, did you use your powers?" Jonathan demanded again.

"I made my point," Clark replied.

"Dammit, Clark, answer me; was Lana telling the truth, did you show everyone at The Talon your powers, yes or no?"

"I did what I did," Clark answered again, "Yes, I used my powers. And you know what? If I had done it a week ago, a year ago, Alicia might not have come close to dying."

His father started to say something in response, but Clark cut him off again, "You know... every friendship or relationship I've had - especially in the last four years - has suffered in some way because of my secret. No, not because of my secret, by my _keeping it_ a secret, a secret you insist on me keeping, claiming it will protect me... I'm starting to wonder who you're trying to protect - me... or yourselves."

Jonathan Kent took a step back, visibly reeling, as his wife stood up and addressed their son with disbelief in her voice, "Clark, you don't... you can't actually think that."

"What am I supposed to think, Ma?" Clark countered, "You didn't want me to play football because you thought it would bring too much attention; you didn't like me being with Alicia because of her powers, you were afraid it would draw attention to my own; you tell me I shouldn't be friends with Lex because of what Lionel is like... always wanting me to sacrifice and it means you get to keep your quiet, peaceful farm life. I read something the other day, Ma, Ben Franklin said it, he said 'those who sacrifice freedom for security will have neither'... For all the freedom I've had to sacrifice on your say-so, what security have I really gained? It hasn't stopped metahumans from appearing in Smallville, it hasn't changed Jor-El's attempts to turn me into his puppet, it didn't protect Alicia from Tim Westcott, never stopped Lionel from trying to manipulate Lex..."

Clark's voice had risen as he'd spoken and now it thundered, "What good has secrecy done? What security has it given me? The only ones that secrecy has kept safe are you and I'm tired of living in the shadows!"

"Don't yell at your mother!" Jonathan yelled, ironically enough, at Clark as Martha started crying, "You need to apologise right now, Clark!"

"For what?" Clark shot up, "For telling the truth?"

Jonathan lost his temper and snarled, "Get out of this house!"

With a shrug, Clark turned and started to walk away, pausing only to throw a single comment back over his shoulder, "Well, I guess now we know where you really stand, don't we?"

* * *

-o0o-

"So," Lex asked as Clark got back into the car, "How'd it go? Get yourself disowned?"

"It went about how I expected," Clark admitted.


End file.
